Rail tie and fastening



Patented Nov. 28,

latentes JOHN KELLY VEBGWORTI-I, F CUBA, ALABAMA.

RAIL TIE ANI) Application led January 9, 19.22.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be 1t known that I, JOHN K. llVnoewon'rH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cuba, in the county ofSumter and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rail Ties and Fas tenings; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomaire and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved metal rail tie and fastening.

The principal object of the invention is to generally improve upon tiesand fastenings of this class by providing a practical device which iscomposed of comparatively few parts of eXtreme simplicity anddurability, thus providing a structure which permits the tracks to beeasily and readily laid and enables the cost of manufacture to bereduced to a minimum.

Another and important object of the in vention is to improve upon myPatent 1,399,909 granted to me on December 13, 1921.

By briefly reviewing the above named patent it will be seen that thesame includes among other details, a metal rail tie of channel-shapedcross-section having inturned rail supporting flanges braced by blocksarranged between the vertical side walls of the tie and engaging theunder sides of said flanges, these blocks carrying jaws designed to gripthe base flanges of the rail and there being special means formaintaining the jaws in engagement with the rail flanges.

I aim to eliminate the special means for maintaining the blocks ineffective position and simply substitute novel co-acting means betweenthe blocks and rail supporting flanges.

Another improvement embodied in the present case and not set forth inthe patented tie and fastening is a novel rail clamp which permitseffective use of the invention at switch points and at points whereguard rails and the like are positioned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe couse of the following description.

In the accompanying dawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like r parts throughoutthe same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a conventional form of railroad railshowing a switch and the manner in which the improved rail tie andfastening co-acts with the rails.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the tie showing thefastening members and rails more clearly.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the rail clamps removed.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a slightly different form ofclamp used at switch points.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end of the tie showing the slitflanges before be# ing bent.

Figure 6 is a view like Fig. 5 showing portions of the rail supportingflanges bent for co-action with the rail flange.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates a metaltie of channelA shaped cross section, the same being open at oppositeends and the spaced vertical w lls thereof having their upper portionsdirected inwardly toward each` other to provide opposed rail supportingflanges 2. Slidably mounted between the vertical sides of the tie areblock. 8 provided on their upper sides with reduced integral extensions4 formed with notches 5. lThese notched extensions constitute jaws whichare designed to engage the base flanges of the rails R. It will be notedthat the blocks are arranged close to one another on opposite sides ofthe rails when in use and. the blocks are of a height to eng ge theunder sides of the rail supporting ill Consequently. they brace theseflanges and prevent them from bendunder the weight of the rails whichrest on their upper sides and entend cross-wise thereof.

lio far as the description las gone. it sets forth tie and fasteningmembers which are sulistantial dugilicates of the corr .sponding partsdisclosed in the aforesaid patent with. the exception that the tie hereshown is open at its opposite ends, instead of being closed, to permitinsertion and removal of the blocks. As before pointed out, it is one ofthe particular aims to provide novel means for maintaining the blocksimmovable so that the jaws will effectively engage and hold the railsagainst accidental separation and movement. ln order to provideextremely simple means for accomplishing this end, l simply slit therail supporting flanges Z at opposite points as indicated at 6. Then, Iform the blocks 3 in their upper sides with comparatively shallowrecesses T and thereby provide shoulders. lifter the blocks are slidbetween the side walls ot the tie and the aws positioned for engagementwith the opposite sides of the base flanges of the rails as shownclearly in Fig. 2, lt then bend portions of the rail supporting flangesinwardly as indicated at the points 8 so that these bent portions extendinto the recesses 7 and abut the shoulders formed thereby. Consequently,the blocks are thus held against separation, but are capable of beingeasily and readily removed by simply insert ing a suitable instrumentbetween their up per sides and the bent portion 8 the flanges tostraighten the bent portions so that the blocks can be slid. through theopen ends of the ties.

At the points of the traclr where switches, guard rails and the likeoccur, l find it advisable to utilize a slightly different form of clampsuch as shown in Fig. il. rlhe clamp here shown likewise comprises arectangular or square block 9 formed on its Lipper side with a reducedrib 'l0 having notches ll formed at its opposite ends to provide jawsfor engaging the base flange of one of the straight and curved railsrespectively as indicated in Fig. l. By di recting attention to the lastmentioned figure it will be seen that these differently constructedclamps will vary considerably in length according to their position. ltwill also be understood more clearly after reviewing this figure thatthe notch at one end ot the rib l0 is designed to engage one edge of thebase flange of the straight rail while the notch at the opposite end isdesigned to engage the corresponding part ot the curved rail of aswitch. ln cases where guard rails occur and are in parallelism with themain rails, the special clamps need not Vary in shape and design. lstate design because the notches at the ends of the ribs i0 will have tobe shaped. to eifectiyely engage both straight and curved rail flangesBy carefully considering the description in connection with thedrawings, persons familiar with devices of this class will Les-.ases

scope of the invention as claimed may be resorted to if desired.

l claim:

L A rail tie and fastening comprising a tie of channel-shaped crosssection having the upper portions ot its vertical side wallsv dire .tedinwardly toward each other to form rail supporting flangesn a pair ofrail clamps slidable between the side walls of said tie, said clampsbeing formed with recesses providing shoulders, the aforesaid railsupporting flanges being formed with shoulders for (gc-action with thefirst named shoulders to maintain the clamps in operative position.

2. A rail tie and fastening comprising a channel-shaped tie open at itsopposite ends having the ripper portions of its side walls directedinwardly toward each other to form rail supporting flanges, the latterbeing formed with oppositely disposed and closely spaced slits, theportions of the flanges on one side of each slit being bent inwardly toform shoulders, and rail clamps slidable between the vertical side wallsof the ti-e and adapted for disposition on opposite sides of the baseflange of the rail, each clamp being formed with spaced depressionsforming shoulders with which the aforesaid shoulders are engaged,whereby to maintain the clamps in engagement with the base flanges ofthe rail.

3. A rail tie of channel-shaped cross-section.,a said tie beingopen atits opposite ends and the upper portions of its Vertical sides beingdirected inwardly toward each other to form rail supporting flanges,said flanges being slit inwardly from their inner edges at spaced pointsand the portions of' material on one side of each slit being bentinwardly to form shoulders ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my han d.

JOHN KELLY VEDGVVORTH.

